Oil-well derrick



" July 3,1928. 1,675,635

I A. L. BOWERS OIL WELL DERRI OK 2 Sheet'S-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1923 ZIn-mmtoc (Z L .Bowers July 3, 1928.

A. L. BowERs OIL WELL DERRICK Filed July 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0.L. Bowers Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED A-TES PATENT oFFrcE.

All-LAN L. BOWERS, OI BRISTOW, OKLAHOMAV ASSIGNOR T0 FRANK M. MAHAN, OF PAWI-IUSKA, OKLAHOMA; EABNESTMO'CABTY, OF WYNONA, OKLAHOMA; AND CARL H. BESSIE, OF BURBANK, OKLAHOMA;

OIL-WELL DERRICK.

Application med July 5, 1923. Serial No. 649,746.

This invention relates to improvements in towers or derricks for use in conneotionwith that rigging employed in the drilling, spud ding, et cetera, of oil, gas, or artesian wells, having for an object to provide a derrick employing in its construction, novel means for the assembly and retention of the derrick legs in relative rigid position, it being possible with the invention to readily build one legsection upon, another and to securely join the same in such condition. V I

It is likewise an object of the invention to provide a novel form of bracing for a derrick constructed or built in accordance with the invention, whereby the greatest possible rigidityot the construction can be secured in order that'twisting or "buclrling of the derrick at any point throughout its height, because of the great weight and stress ap plied thereto during usage, will be prevented.

It is furthermore an objectof the invention to provide the derrick with a novel form of beam windows through which the beam of the usual rigging machinery extends, those portions of the derrick in whichthe window is arranged being so braced as to avoid buckling ortwisting of the derrick thereat, and to, in no way, detract fromthe inherent resistive qualities orstrengtli of the derrick construction.

Other objects will be in pa rt obvious and j in part pointed out; hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, I have in theac companying illustrative drawings, and in the detailed following description based there on, set out one possible embodiment of the same. b i A In these drawings: a

Figure 1 is a perspective viewottheim proved derrick;

Figure 2 is an'enlarged fragmentary detail in perspective, showing certain of the bracing elements of the derrick construction,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail in eleva' tion showing the manner in which the basal portions of the derrick legs are interconnectedand relatively braced;

Figure A is a similar view in top plan showing the manner in-whichthe basal portions of the derrick legs are intercom nected and braced with respect to each other;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in elevation showing the method of bracing the legs of the derrick construction whereby to prevent twisting or buckling of the same with application of weight or stress to the derrick construction;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in section, taken on the line 6- 6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction inlwhich' the arrows point; and, a a

Figure 7 is a similar section taken on the line7--7 of Figure 5, looking in the direction in which the arrows point.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the improved derrick construction may be statedito comprise relatively spaced corner leg. sections generally indicated by the numeral 1, said legs being of sectional construction, as will be hereinafter set; out, and converging up, wardly as shown in the Figure 1; the basal portions of each of the legs 1 being notched or recessed upon certainot their faces and receiving therein the notched or recessed adjacent portions of bracing bars 2, shown in the Figure 1, those portions of the bars 2 adjacent to the basal portions of the leg 1 being secured to said legs through 'the medium of bolts 3. Thus, it will be understood that the basal portions or the various legs 1 will be preventedfrom having relati ve movement with respect to each other and in consequence, will be braced to efi'ectually withstand, the great weight and stress to which derrick constructions of'this char acter. are subjected, during usage.

The upper ends of the legsl are'intercone nected by means of head beams, generally indicated herein by the numeral 4, such head beams being received in "seats provided therefor in the upper endsnt thelegs l'ands'ise cured in such position throiigh the medium of bracket plates, whiehawill be hereinazfter more fully described; i

Bracing bars, generally. indicated by'the numeral 5, areconnected, at theiropposite rick construction, preferably; three, of such tion with which'the derrick is used. These bracing bars 5, as will be noted, are arranged in opposed fashion upon the legs 1, that is, one bar is secured to the outer side of the derrick construction, while a second bar is secured directly opposite the first bar to the inner side of the derrick construction.

Angle metal bars 6 are arranged in vertical positions and in relatively spaced relation, having their upper and lower ends securely connected to certain of the bracing bars 5 through the medium of bolts, or other suitable fastening devices 7, the space between such angle bars sewing as a window for permitting the extension of the beam of the rigging therethrough. Also, if desired, diagonal bracing bars 8 may be connected to the lower or basel portions of certain of the legs 1 and at their upper ends to those portions of the oppositely disposed bracing bars 5 directly adjacentto the connection of the upper ends of the angle bars 6 thereto.

'As heretofore stated, the legs 1 of the derrick construction are sectional and these sec tionsare adapted to be built up one upon the other during construction of the derrick. With a view towards providing means for securing the sections of the legs 1 in their assembled positions, angle metal bracket plates 9 are provided and are of such size and shape as to snugly embrace the outer sides of the adjacent portions of said legs 1, bolts 10 being. passed through openings in the lower portionsof the opposite sides of the anglebracket plates into engagement with adjacent portions of the lower leg sections 1, while slots 11 opening onto the vertical marginal'portions of such plates are formed in the upper portions of the same and extended horizontally thereof. These slots are adapted to permit of the slidable introduction of bolts 12 carried upon the lower end of the upper leg sections, so that with tightening of said bolts, the same will have binding engagement upon the adjacent portion of the angle metal plates 9 and in consequence, serve as means for effectually securing the leg sections in their assembled relation. p

Girths, generally indicated herein by the numeral 13,. are also employed in connection with the derrick construction, having their opposite ends flattened, as indicatedat l4,

and provided with transversely arranged downwardly opening bayonet slots 15 in such flattened portions. These girths 13 are of lengths suflicient to permit the same to properly span the distance between the various legs 1 of the derrick construction, whereupon the flattened opposite ends 14 thereof having' the bayonet slots 15 therein, are engaged over bolts 16 enga ed with the adjacentsides of said angle p ates 9, such bolts 16 being then tightened to revent disengagement of the flattened en '14 of the girths therefrom. Also, it will be noted that subsequently to engagement of theflattencd opposite ends 14 of the various girths 13 with the bolts 16, upward movement or disengagement of the flattened ends 14 with respect to such bolts will be prevented by reason of the engagement of such bolts in the bayonet slots 15, and also by reason of the engagement of the bolts 12 engaged in the slots 11 of such angle plates, these bolts, as heretofore described, being carried upon the lower ends of the upper leg sections. Thus, a firm and positive bracing means will be provided for transversely of the derrick construction.

With a view towards providing further means for bracing the derrick construction whereby to prevent twisting or buckling of the legs thereof, I provide sectionaltie rods, generally indicated by the numeral 17, such sections of the tie rods having their adjacent ends screw threaded and interconnected by ordinary turnbuckles 18. The opposite ends of these sectional tie rods 17 are hooked and engaged in the extremities of horizontally arranged slots 19 formed in then per and lower corner portions of each of tie metal angle plates 9. 7

These sectional tie rods 17are disposed diagonally of the derrick construction and in criss-cross fashion, as shown in the Figure 5. Thus,v with proper adjustment of H turnbuckles 18 of the various tie rods, it will be understood that they'may be placed under a'tension suflicient to cause the same to act as highly effectual braces for the legs 1 of the derrick construction, whereby to not only prevent relative twisting movement of the same, but likewise, to assist the girths 14 I in preventing any attempted buckling of the derrick construction. By varying the adjustment of the turnbuckles 18, it of course, i

will be readily understood that the resultant tension upon the sectional tie rods 17 will be accordingly varied and in consequence, the bracing efliciency of these struts upon the derrick construction may be regulated to such a nicety as to positively prevent the localizing of twisting or lateral stress to anyone pointof the derrick construction, but to the contrary,such stress willbe evenly diffused throughout the entire construction and hence, will enable the derrick to successfully withstand that rough usage to which it is subjected. r I 1 Metal angle brackets 9 are arranged upon the upper end of each of the legs 1 and re ceive therein the opposite ends of the head beams 4 of the derrick construction, such bracket plates being connected to adjacent portions of the legs and the head beams in the manner heretofore described and likewise, are engaged by certain of the ends of the tie rods 17,-whereby that stress applied to the head portion of the derrick construction will be taken up by the struts and evenly diffused throughout the derrick.

As means for bracing the opposite sides of the beam window, that is, the angle bar 6 and likewise, to prevent any weakening of the derrick construction at this point, short girths 20 are employed, having certain of the ends thereof flattened, as indicated at 21, and provided with downwardly opening bayonet slots 22, which slots are adapted to be engaged over bolts 16 in the adjacent metal angle plates 9, while the inner ends of such girths are secured to the intermediate portions of the angle bars 6 through the medium of U-shaped bolts 23, such bolts passing through certain of the sides of said.

angle bars 6 and being secured by nuts or other suitable fastening devices; the adja cent ends of the girths 20 being received between the opposite sides or leg portions of the U-shaped bolts 23 and in consequence being firmly and securely connected to said intermediate portions of the angle bars 6. Furthermore, if desired, the bracing or tensioning members, such as indicated at 24 may be connected at certain of their ends to the inner ends of the short girths 20, while the opposite ends thereof, as heretofore stated, extend into engagement with the corner slots 19 ofthe metal angle plates 9.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided a highly efficient form of derrick construction for use in connection with that rigging employed in the drilling of oil, gas, or artesian wells, and in fact, a derrick construction which may be also effectually used in the spudding of oil wells or in any other work required of such derricks.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is within the scope of my claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim: a

1. In a derrick, trussed throughout its height, relatively superposed and spaced parallel bracing bars spanning one side of the derrick and connected at their opposite ends to adjacent portions of the correspondingly adjacent derrick legs, vertically disposed and relatively spaced bars arranged between said bracing bars and connected at their opposite ends to adjacent portions of said bracing bars, forming a walking beam 1r es, ving window therebetween short girths arranged between said bracing bars substantially parallel thereto having their respective outer ends connected to adjacent portions of said derrick legs and their respective inner ends engaged with said Vertical bars and bracing means engaging said inner ends of the short girths.

2. In a derrick, trussed throughout its height, relatively superposed and spaced parallel bracing bars spanning one side of the derrick and connected at their opposite ends to adjacent portions of the correspondingly adjacent derrick legs, vertically disposed and relatively spaced bars arranged between said bracing bars and connected at their opposite ends to adjacent portions of said bracing bars, forming a walking beam receiving window therebetween, short girths arranged between said bracing bars substantially parallel thereto and having their respective outer ends connected to adjacent portions of said derrick legs and their respective inner ends engaging said vertical bars, and obliquely arranged relatively opposed bracing members connected to the respective inner ends of the short girths and to the derrick beyond said inner ends of the short girths.

3. In a derrick trussed throughout its height, relatively superposed and spaced parallel bracing bars spanning one side of the derrick and connected at their opposite ends to adjacent portions of the correspondingly adjacent derrick legs, vertically disposed and relatively spaced bars arranged between said bracing bars and connected at their opposite ends to adjacent portions of the bracing bars forming a walking beam receiving window therebetween, short girths arranged between said bracing bars and disposed coincidentally therewith havin their respective outer ends connected to adjacent portions of said derrick legs and their respective inner ends connected to the intermediate portions of said vertical bars.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARLAN L. BOVVERS. 

